Synthetic Humanity
by Linnafan
Summary: Boomers, created to serve mankind making life easer. With every new model new programs are installed making them more human. But how human can a robot be? It has no brain but still it can learn. It has no heart, but can it love?


_"Boomers, are the best selling product in modern day __Tokyo__. Ever since that freak accident 8 years ago involving the Knight Sabers and that out of control Boomer it has become illegal to place cores into a boomer's body that last for over eight hours before they need to recharge." _A spokesmen for GENOM said to a crowd of over four thousand business owners and people who just want a boomer to help with everyday life. _"We at GENOM are very proud of all our accomplishments over the past years. We have created newer and better Boomers, making them look and sound more and more like humans with each new line we create. For the past three years we have been working on a new class Boomer that is designed mainly for individual civilians who could use a little help. Mainly people like single parents who are too busy keeping up with the kids and keeping clothes on their backs and a roof over their heads to do small things like laundry. This Boomer will do all the little chores that the average single parent can not do alone. Ladies and Gentlemen it is my honor to present to you the Nanny Boomer." _

The crowd applauded as out from left stage walked a very human looking Boomer dressed in a maids outfit complete with high heels. She walked elegantly across the stage and stopped next to the spokesmen.

"Good afternoon." She said. "I am Nanny Boomer zero-one the first model."

As she spoke she bowed low and her long red hair fell over her shoulders.

Sitting only eight rows back a young girl with silvery hair sat looking on with wide eyes. She was wearing a University of Tokyo jacket that had a medical patch sown on the right breast pocket.

'Oh wow she really does look human.' Raika Yoshiro thought as she sat in the eighth row. 'God what I wouldn't give to get one of them.'

As she was thinking about how easy her life would be if only she had someone to pick up after the hurricane she called her everyday life someone behind her asked the inevitable question.

"How much is it?" He yelled.

"Zero-one name your price." The spokesmen said.

"My going rate is 100,000 dollars and but is likely to decrease 20.0043 over the next 2 years." Zero one said.

There were mummers among the crowd at the outrageous price and several people walked out of the room. Raika sat in her seat doing some mental math and with her current job and school she figured that it would take her around three years to save up half of the money.

'Oh man.' She thought. 'I'm never going to get a boomer.'

She gave out a depressed sigh and slowly started walking out of the conference room.

"Also we will be hosting a drawing at the end of this conference and the winner of the drawing will take home Nanny Boomer Zero-One." The spokesmen said quickly see all of the people walking out of the room.

Raika stopped in her tracks remembering the card she was given when she walked into the conference hall.

"Now what are the chances of me winning the drawing?' She thought as she kept walking. 'Oh what the hell why not?'

She turned back around and walked back into the room and sat down again. The Conference continued on for another ten minutes and then just like the man said they pulled out an old looking lotto machine filled with leaflets. Raika reached into her pocket and found her ticket and waited for the numbers to be called.

'357.' She said to herself.

"Well seeing as the winner of this drawing will take home number zero-one I think she should draw the winner." The spokesmen said and turned to the Boomer.

Zero-one nodded and walked to the machine and opened the hatch and reached in. She pulled out one ticket and read it aloud.

"The winning number is 634." She said.

Raika dropped her head and sighed.

'I knew I wouldn't win.' She thought and stood up as the number was being repeated.

"Number 634 please come up to the podium." The Spokesmen said.

Raika walked to the door and started down the hallway.

"Ok it looks like 634 isn't here so we are going to draw another number." The spokesmen said.

The words barely came to her ears as she was walking away.

"Number 357." Zero-One said.

Raika froze in mid step and listened closely.

"Number 357 please come to the podium if you are here." The Spokesmen said.

Raika turned around and ran back into the room yelling at the top of her lungs.

"I'm here, I'm right here." She yelled jumping up and down waving her ticket in the air.

The remaining people in the room applauded as Raika ran up to the podium and all but shoved the ticket into the spokesmen's pocket. He looked at the numbers and confirmed they were correct.

"What is your name miss?" He asked.

"Raika Yoshiro." Raika said.

The man nodded and turned to Zero-one.

"Zero-one from now on Miss. Raika Yoshiro is your new owner." He said.

There was a flash in Zero-one's eyes as she changed the registration data then smiled at Raika.

"Good afternoon." She said bowing low.

"Ummm good afternoon." Raika said.

The Spokesmen reached into his breast pocket and produced a thick booklet and handed it to Raika.

"This is Zero-One's operating manual." He said. "Congratulations on being the first to own this new Boomer. Now if you'll excuse me I have a lot to do."

Raika looked at the booklet in her hand then over at Zero-one and she smiled politely and folded her hands in front of her.

"Well I guess I should take you home." Raika said.

"Yes ma'am" Zero-one said and lowered her hands to her sides.

They walked out of the conference room and through the halls of the convention center.

'I can't believe I won her.' Raika thought as she sat on the bus bench and waited for the number 255. 'I mean do I have to get her upgraded or tuned up?'

She opened the booklet that the spokesmen handed her and looked through the table of contents. She decided to start at the beginning of the booklet and flipped to the first page.

**_The Nanny Boomer_**

_Congratulations on your purchase of GENOMS newest Boomer. This is a special type of Boomer, it is virtually perfect. There are several types of Nanny Boomers ranging from Boomers that look and sound like a female all the way to Boomers that look and sound like men. They have a built in AI with a learning capability. Meaning if you teach it something it will remember and learn how to apply it to everyday life. This Booklet will help you to get the most out of your Boomer. If you do not fully understand the instructions or you loose this booklet simply ask your Nanny Boomer. Given the command of "Instruction book" your Boomer will access the Booklet that is stored in its memory and be able to read it off to you. Given the command "Explain" Then what part of the instructions you do not understand and it will explain. _

Raika thought about what she had just read then looked at Zero-one.

"Explain 'maintenance'" She said.

"Yes ma'am." Zero-one said.

A light flashed in Zero-one's eyes as she accessed the manual explanations in her memory bank.

"Maintenance on the Nanny Boomer is rather simple. All parts are guaranteed for ten years before they need any work. And by that time a newer Boomer will be on the market. In other words you will never need to do any maintenance on your Boomer."

The light in Zero-one's eyes faded and she smiled down at Raika indicating that she was finished.

"What?" Raika said. "They expect us to just kick you to the curb once something better comes out?"

"That is their intent." Zero-One said.

"That's fucked up." Raika said.

"I do not understand Fucked up." Zero-one said. "Please define."

"Its slang for not right." Raika said.

"I understand." Zero-one said.

The 255 buss arrived a few minutes later and Raika got on with Zero-one right behind her.

"Umm I have a pass but she is a boomer." She told the driver.

"Doesn't mater she is still taking up a seat so you'll need to pay for her." The driver said.

'There goes lunch.' Raika thought as she paid for zero-one's seat.

They went to a row of seats and sat down with Raika near the window. She looked through her purse to see if she still had enough money to get a little something for lunch but the bus fair took up the last of her cash.

"Is something wrong ma'am?" Zero-one asked seeing the expression on Raika's face.

"Well I was planning to use the last of my money to get something to eat but the driver made me pay for your seat and now I'm broke." Raika said.

"Was that "Fucked up"?" Zero-one asked.

"No I understand why I had to pay for you but now I can't get lunch." Raika said leaning back in her seat. "Oh well, I think I have something I can make at home."

"I am fully integrated with recipes." Zero-one said. "I can make you something to eat if you wish."

"Umm ok sure." Raika said looking at Zero-one. 'I just might like having a Boomer around.' She thought as the bus headed down the busy Tokyo streets.


End file.
